McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Breaking News

The Buzz

July 31, 2012

So Michelle Obama's jacket cost $6K. What did Mitt wear?

By Diane Reese Special to The Washington Post.

SARCOXIE, Mo. — We are still such a sexist society.

  Instead of focusing on what Michelle Obama and Ann Romney have to say or what causes either woman supports, we're obsessing over what they're wearing - and how much their outfits cost.

  Why aren't we worried about the price tag of the suits, shirts and ties sported by President Obama and former governor Mitt Romney? I hardly think they're choosing their clothes off the rack at the local discount chain.

  Something tells me neither gentleman has worn a $9.99 tie from Walmart. (I know exactly how much they run because my daughter's spent the summer as a server in a restaurant and must wear a tie to work, though she usually picks up one for $2 or $3 from the local thrift store.)

  This weekend the first lady caught flak over her $6,800 jacket from American designer J. Mendel, worn to a reception at Buckingham Palace for the opening of the Olympics. Well, gosh, the Queen of England was there, too, so I hardly think we'd want Michelle Obama decked out in the latest fashion from Kmart. To be honest, if I were going to meet Queen Elizabeth, I would be tempted to cash in my retirement savings for a new outfit.

   Let's take President Obama. He didn't have any public events scheduled this weekend, but Monday afternoon, he had an ambassador credentialing ceremony and then a campaign visit to New York City. What's he wearing? Where did he buy it? How much did it cost?

 How does he look in it? Does it emphasize his figure faults?

 People have no compunction against expressing their opinion about the first lady's appearance in her outfits.

  I used to moderate comments for Politics Daily, and I dreaded the days we ran stories about Mrs. Obama. How many of the comments I deleted were generated by racism? And how many by the fact that everyone believes it's fair game to be just as catty as possible when talking about a woman, even if she's in a position of power? Especially if she's in a position of power.

   Ann Romney got raked over the coals this spring when she sported a $990 t-shirt during an appearance on a morning talk show. But look at the photos: Mitt's wearing a suit, white shirt and tie. No one bothered to question the cost of his ensemble.

  Even a woman running for national office comes under scrutiny. Remember the outrage when the news came out that the Republican National Committee had dropped $150,000 on a wardrobe of suits for vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin (who used to buy her clothes from an Anchorage consignment shop)? Again, no one asked what Sen. John McCain had spent on his closets (he couldn't remember how many houses he owned) full of suits.

   We have a long history of criticizing (and critiquing) the wardrobes of first ladies, going back to Jackie Kennedy. When the media reported she was spending $30,000 year on clothes during her husband's 1960 presidential campaign, she said, "I couldn't spend that much even if I wore sable underwear." (Although the infamous pink suit she wore that day in Dallas was reputed to have cost $800 to $1,000 in 1963 dollars.)

   The positive result of the scrutiny over Jackie's wardrobe expenses? She focused on American designers, a trend that continues to this day.

   Let's quit worrying about clothes and focus on issues instead.





 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
The Buzz
Seasonal Content
AP Video
Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla. Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
NDN Video
IWitness Look at Moore, OK Tornado Trailer: 'The Last Stand' Available on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Digital Download Pickler's Dance Moves Cause A Stir Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble RAW: Moore, OK tornado touches down near school Sneak Peek: 'Modern Family' Says Good Bye Robert Pattinson Moves Out RAW: Russian dash cam catches car 20 feet in the air Oklahoma tornado survivor: "Everything is gone" Khloe Lashes Out at Kim Kardashian's Critics Couple Argues As Woman's Lover Crawls Out Window RAW: Brad Paisley Forgets Lyrics To His Own Song Justin Bieber Gets Booed RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer, Drake Joins List of Rumored Cameos Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction Heat Star Dwyane Wade Surprises Coral Gables Teen At Prom Steak n' Shake waitress scores huge tip Singer Miguel Accidentally Lands on Fan At Billboard Music Awards Celebs Celebrate the Rise of the Side Butt
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.